The WORST episodes of The Cosby Show

Every episode of The Cosby Show ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of The Cosby Show!

Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable was an OBGYN (obstetrician/gynecologist), and his wife Clair was a successful attorney. They had five children: Sondra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy. Sondra was rarely seen during the first season because she was away at Princeton. She became a regular character in the second season, and was usually seen with her on-again off-again beau, Elvin. They eventually married and had twins; but not before stunning their families by announcing the fact that Elvin was dropping out of medical school to open a camping store, and Sondra was dropping out of law school to help her husband in his endeavor. Denise was the "unique" child, the black sheep of the family. She had her own way of doing things, right down to the style of clothing she wore. After graduating high school, she left for Hillman College in 1986 (a year later, this would become the setting for the spin-off A Different World), but returned two years later with news that she was dropping ou

Last Updated: 3/17/2025Network: NBCStatus: Ended
Period of Adjustment
star
4.52
213 votes

#1 - Period of Adjustment

Season 7 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/11/1990

Clair's teenage second cousin moves in with the family. Erika Alexander joins the cast as Pam. First appearances of Karen Malina White as Charmaine, Allen Payne as Lance, and Mushond Lee as Slide.

Directors: Ellen Falcon
57 Varieties
star
5.50
58 votes

#2 - 57 Varieties

Season 5 - Episode 26 - Aired 5/11/1989

Theo wants to go to Egypt for an archaeological dig. Reno Wilson as Howard. Alex Ruiz as Lou. Deon Richmond as Kenny.

Directors: Chuck Vinson
Pam Applies to College
star
5.79
114 votes

#3 - Pam Applies to College

Season 8 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/10/1991

Pam realizes that her poor grades will prevent her from attending the same college as her best friend.

Directors: John Bowab
Just Thinking About It (1)
star
5.93
177 votes

#4 - Just Thinking About It (1)

Season 7 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/1/1990

Under pressure from her boyfriend to become sexually active, Pam considers using birth control. Karen Malina White as Charmaine. Allen Payne as Lance. Mushond Lee as Slide.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Shakespeare
star
6.12
180 votes

#5 - Shakespeare

Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/22/1987

Christopher Plummer and Roscoe Lee Browne appear. Theo must read Julius Caesar for school, but complains that it is boring. Russel and his friends read scenes from the play aloud, and Theo is enthralled. Later, the men read from a different work of literature-a story Rudy wrote!

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Denise Kendall: Singles Counselor
star
6.14
147 votes

#6 - Denise Kendall: Singles Counselor

Season 6 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/18/1990

Denise causes trouble while trying to help Vanessa get a date.

Directors: Tony Singletary
Cliff's Nightmare
star
6.15
115 votes

#7 - Cliff's Nightmare

Season 6 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/11/1990

Guest appearance by The Muppets (Performed by Jerry Nelson, Dave Goelz, Richard Hunt, and Kevin Clash.) Voice-over by Wallace Shawn.

Attack of the Killer B's
star
6.17
142 votes

#8 - Attack of the Killer B's

Season 7 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/10/1991

Pam's grades have improved, but she worries that she will not be able to afford college. Karen Malina White as Charmaine. Allen Payne as Lance. Mushond Lee as Slide.

Directors: Art Dielhenn
Just Thinking About It (2)
star
6.21
120 votes

#9 - Just Thinking About It (2)

Season 7 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/1/1990

Pam and Slide argue over whether they should become sexually active.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Once Upon a Time
star
6.43
175 votes

#10 - Once Upon a Time

Season 4 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/18/1988

Rudy writes a fairy tale, and the colorful story is acted out in her fantasy. Members of the family play the roles of a village full of happy people and a mean group that ruins their fun. At the end of the episode, Rudy declares that when she becomes "president of the world", she will put a stop to all mean people. Cliff and Clair proceed to watch news reports of weapons' testing and bombings, and urge her to "hurry, because we need you right now." Earle Hyman as Russell.

Directors: Tony Singletary
Clair's Reunion
star
6.46
106 votes

#11 - Clair's Reunion

Season 8 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/20/1992

Clair and her college friends plan a retirement party for a former professor.

Cliff and Jake
star
6.57
169 votes

#12 - Cliff and Jake

Season 7 - Episode 24 - Aired 4/11/1991

Clair tries to prevent Cliff from buying a new appliance from his friend Jake. Lost episode from Season 6. Guest appearances by Red Buttons and E. G. Marshall. Last appearance of Lisa Bonet as Denise.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
You Can't Stop the Music
star
6.71
79 votes

#13 - You Can't Stop the Music

Season 8 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/26/1992

Cliff and Clair go to a local radio station for a live salsa performance.

Directors: Alan Smithee
Clair's Liberation
star
6.72
147 votes

#14 - Clair's Liberation

Season 7 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/6/1990

Clair enters menopause. She takes the news fine, but the kids treat her as if she's losing her mind.

Directors: John Bowab
Hillman
star
6.72
180 votes

#15 - Hillman

Season 3 - Episode 25 - Aired 5/7/1987

The Huxtable family goes to Hillman College to attend a ceremony in honor of its president's retirement. Guest appearance by Joe Seneca. Filmed at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. The episode serves as a backdoor pilot for the spinoff series A Different World, which premieres in the fall of 1987.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Olivia's Field Trip
star
6.73
147 votes

#16 - Olivia's Field Trip

Season 8 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/7/1991

Cliff chaperones Olivia's field trip to the museum, while Theo falls victim to a scammer.

Directors: John Bowab
Theo's Dirty Laundry
star
6.82
178 votes

#17 - Theo's Dirty Laundry

Season 6 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/15/1990

Cliff and Clair discover that Theo has moved in with Justine. Last Appearance Of Michelle Thomas as Justine. Victoria Rowell as Paula.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
There's Still No Joy in Mudville
star
6.89
170 votes

#18 - There's Still No Joy in Mudville

Season 7 - Episode 23 - Aired 4/4/1991

Cliff goes bowling with his friends.

Directors: Carl Lauten
It's a Boy
star
6.89
150 votes

#19 - It's a Boy

Season 7 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/29/1990

The husband of one of Cliff's patients worries that he will be a poor father because he has no athletic ability. After Pam breaks up with Slide, she and the class brain are attracted to each other.

Directors: Chuck Vinson
Eat, Drink and Be Wary
star
6.90
112 votes

#20 - Eat, Drink and Be Wary

Season 8 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/30/1992

Rudy and her friends want to ride the subway.

Warning: A Double-Lit Candle Can Cause a Meltdown
star
6.91
142 votes

#21 - Warning: A Double-Lit Candle Can Cause a Meltdown

Season 8 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/17/1991

When Rudy and her friends lie to their parents to get into an age-restricted club, Pam, Lance and Charmaine spy on them.

No More Mr. Nice Guy
star
6.91
145 votes

#22 - No More Mr. Nice Guy

Season 7 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/28/1991

Theo's friend Denny thinks his girlfriend is cheating on him.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
The Shower
star
6.95
213 votes

#23 - The Shower

Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/26/1987

Denise holds a bridal shower for her pregnant and bride-to-be friend Veronica, but finds out some disturbing information. Absent: Sabrina Le Beauf as Sondra Huxtable, although mentioned.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Denise Kendall: Navy Wife
star
6.96
218 votes

#24 - Denise Kendall: Navy Wife

Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/12/1989

Denise forgets to respond to a letter from the Navy and confirm that she and Martin want housing on the naval base in Rhode Island.

Directors: Tony Singletary
You Only Hurt the One You Love
star
6.98
213 votes

#25 - You Only Hurt the One You Love

Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/19/1987

Rudy gets hurt from Theo's rough games. Rudy cries. Theo gets punished. Clair goes to a doctor and gets the same advice that Cliff gave her. Cliff learns that the woman who cleans up the Doctor's Lounge at the hospital (Rita Moreno) has been fired. Absent: Sabrina Le Beauf as Sondra Huxtable and Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable.

Directors: Jay Sandrich